Secondhand report led to San Jose City College lockdown

SAN JOSE -- It was a secondhand statement about a man with a gun spotted on campus that led to a Tuesday evening lockdown at San Jose City College, school police officials said.

A man on a public sidewalk adjacent to the school was told "face-to-face" by someone he didn't know that a gunman was seen in the area of the Technology Center building, said campus police Lt. Gilbert Torres. The person immediately called Evergreen Community College police with his cellphone, and told officers about the brief conversation he'd just had.

"The gentleman that called it in did the right thing," Torres said. "We take all these types of situations as being valid and respond with apropos resources. We cannot downplay or second-guess these type of incidents when we believe we have a credible source."

San Jose police were also alerted, and the school was put under lockdown for about three hours starting shortly after the 4:30 p.m. call. Despite an extensive search, police did not locate a suspect or a weapon and the investigation is ongoing, Torres said.

The description of the gunman "continues to be very vague," he said, adding that classes resumed on Wednesday.

"Classes are back to normal, in the middle of finals week," he said. "We have directed police staff to be very vigilant and very visible."

Anyone with information about the incident can contact campus police at 408-298-1708.